


one of the few things worth remembering

by Doranwen



Category: Escape to Witch Mountain - Alexander Key
Genre: Gen
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-08-18
Updated: 2017-08-18
Packaged: 2018-12-17 01:50:33
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,210
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/11841471
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Doranwen/pseuds/Doranwen
Summary: Tony finds the adjustment to Misty Valley more difficult than he had been expecting.





	one of the few things worth remembering

**Author's Note:**

  * For [Alixtii](https://archiveofourown.org/users/Alixtii/gifts).



Tony helped Tia up (holding Winkie made it hard to climb the ladder), then scrambled into the ship behind her. One of the men pulled the ladder back up, and soon they were soaring upwards quickly.

"That should take care of your Mr. Deranian!" said one man with a laugh. "He won't have a clue where to find you now. Oh, let me have a look at you two. Tia and Toní, after all these years!" He stood in front of them and studied them with an expression of joy.

"Did— did you know us when we were young?" asked Tony.

Tia shook her head. "I don't remember ever seeing him before. What's your name?"

"Not since you were a little baby, Toní. Tia has never met me. I'm Hiron." He smiled at them. "But I knew your parents well. Corran and Miradie, I knew them as."

"Will you tell us about them?" Tony's voice was almost hesitant with his longing. "Tia only remembers a little, and I don't remember hardly anything." Tia bent to set Winkie down, and Tony felt her hand creep into his and give a squeeze.

"Of course! We'll be at Misty Valley in just a minute or two, but I'll tell you one of my best memories of your mother. It happened several months before you were born, Toní…"

* * *

As they disembarked, Tony's eyes went wide, trying to take everything in. The buildings were unlike anything he had seen on Earth - and he couldn't quite remember what their planet had been like. Everywhere there were long, low buildings, all beautiful and natural, blending in with the trees and rocks. Vines and flowers adored the walls.

"So you like the landscaping?" Hiron asked as Tony stared.

"Oh yes! It's beautiful," Tony exclaimed.

Hiron turned to Tia. "It's safe here for your cat to roam freely. He'll be well-treated by everyone."

Tia's face lit up. "Of course! There you go, Winkie," she said, placing the black cat on the ground. "You can find me when you want." She petted Winkie's head and watched the feline wander off to investigate a nearby plant.

"Everyone's been so excited to meet you, but we know you might feel a bit overwhelmed if we all descended upon you at once, so my wife agreed to help you get settled, and you can meet everyone over the next few days," Hiron told them. "She's on her way."

The three of them walked down a beautiful pathway, and Tony's ears picked up high-pitched conversations as they passed small clusters of people. To hear someone besides Tia speaking at those pitches was so bizarre, and he kept turning his head before realizing that they weren't speaking to him. Smiles met him from everyone they saw; Tony found himself strangely shy. He knew everyone here was a friend, someone safe, but…

"Ah, my dear wife! Here are Tia and Toní at last." Hiron greeted her with a kiss to the cheek. "Tia, Toní, this is my wife Davia."

"It's wonderful to see you two after so many years!" she told the children. "We have been looking for you for so long. You must be nearly thirteen now, is that right?" she asked, looking at Tony.

Tony nodded.

"And you're eleven, Tia?"

Tony opened his mouth to speak, but Tia beat him to it. "Almost twelve," she said.

Tony closed his mouth suddenly, blushing a little. It was hard to remember that Tia didn't need him to speak for her anymore.

"We have some wonderful rooms for each of you," Davia went on. "Tia, we think you might like the one in this building here. There are a few other girls near your age that nearby, and a couple friends of mine live there to help with anything you might need."

They would be parted again. A paralysis seemed to creep over Tony. He wanted to speak, but couldn't think of the words.

Tia came to the rescue. "Davia, would it be OK if Tony and I shared a room? At least for a while? The only time we've been parted was at the juvenile home."

Davia's answering smile was genuine kindness itself. "Of course. I have one in mind that might do."

* * *

The room was spacious and comfortable. Hand-carved furniture stood in the corners, and two beds awaited them, one on each side of the door. "Now, if I'm right, you two didn't have a chance to bring anything but yourselves, right?" Davia asked them.

"I think we left all our bags with Father O'Day," Tia told her.

"Nothing to worry about - we have extra clothing and we can send someone to purchase things in a nearby town if need be. In fact," she said, "why don't I go take a look at our storehouse to see if there are some sizes that fit you. I'll bring back a few items for you to try on later, and you can make yourselves comfortable."

Tia smiled at her. "That sounds wonderful, thank you."

Once Davia was gone, Tony walked over to the window and leaned against it, looking out into the garden beyond. Birds chirped in the trees, and flowers seemed to be in every corner. So this was where they should have been, all those years, he thought.

"Can you see if Father O'Day is all right?" Tia asked.

Tony closed his eyes, and the image formed of the priest standing in the meadow, gazing toward Witch Mountain. "He's all right," Tony said. "Mr. Deranian and the others left him alone."

"What about you, Tony?"

"What do you mean?" He turned to look at her, forehead wrinkled in confusion.

"Are you all right?"

Tony looked into her eyes for a moment, the one person he had known and could count on his entire life. He turned back to the window. "I don't know," he said softly. "I feel all mixed-up."

Tia stepped up next to him, leaning her head on his shoulder. "Is it because we don't know any of them yet? They're all good people…"

"I know. It's just… Everything's turned upside-down in the last few days, and I'm not used to it yet."

"Like me being able to talk with everyone here?" She lifted her head up, and he could feel her eyes on him.

"Maybe a little. But I'm glad you can, so you don't have to rely on me or writing notes all the time."

"But that's just it, Tony. Our whole lives, you've been the one to take care of us. Earning money to buy us clothes, communicating for us both when I couldn't make myself heard, thinking to get us out of trouble. You don't have to do that anymore here," she told him.

"I know," he said in a low voice.

Tia's arms circling around him took him by surprise, but he soon returned the hug. She held on tightly as she spoke. "You'll always be my brother, Tony, no matter what. I love you. And if I had to choose between staying here with everyone else without you, and going with you anywhere, I'd always pick you, OK?"

"OK," he said, his throat feeling a little thick. He leaned his head against hers. "I love you too."


End file.
